Viśvāmitra visits king Daśaratha and asks for Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa
Dohas
byāpaka akala anīha aja nirguna nāma na rūpa.
bhagata hētu nānā bidhi karata caritra anūpa..205.. [1-205]
The Lord, who is all-pervading, indivisible, desireless, unbegotten, attributeless and without name or form, performed marvellous acts of various kinds for the sake of His devotees.
Chaupais
yaha saba carita kahā maiṃ gāī. āgili kathā sunahu mana lāī..
bisvāmitra mahāmuni gyānī. basahi bipina subha āśrama jānī.. [1-205-1]
jahaom japa jagya muni karahī. ati mārīca subāhuhi ḍarahīṃ..
dēkhata jagya nisācara dhāvahi. karahi upadrava muni dukha pāvahiṃ.. [1-205-2]
gādhitanaya mana ciṃtā byāpī. hari binu marahi na nisicara pāpī..
taba munivara mana kīnha bicārā. prabhu avatarēu harana mahi bhārā.. [1-205-3]
ēhu misa dēkhauṃ pada jāī. kari binatī ānau dōu bhāī..
gyāna birāga sakala guna ayanā. sō prabhu mai dēkhaba bhari nayanā.. [1-205-4]
All this story has been sung by me; now hear attentively what followed. The great enlightened hermit Viśvāmitra lived in a forest knowing it to be a sacred spot. There he practised Japa (muttering of sacred formulas) and Yoga (contemplation) and performed sacrifices; but he was much afraid of the demons Mārīca and Subāhu. For as soon as they saw a sacrifice they would hasten to desecrate it to the great chagrin of the sage, who felt disturbed in his mind and thought that the wicked Rākṣasas could not be disposed of without Śrī Hari. The great sage then said to himself, “The Lord has already taken birth in order to relieve the earth of its burden. Let me make the outrage of the demons an excuse of seeing His feet and after due entreaty bring the two brothers here. I will regale my eyes with the sight of Him who is the abode of knowledge, dispassion and all virtues.”
Dohas
bahubidhi karata manōratha jāta lāgi nahiṃ bāra.
kari majjana saraū jala gaē bhūpa darabāra..206.. [1-206]
Indulging in expectation of various kinds the sage took no time in reaching his destination. Bathing in the stream of the Sarayū he proceeded to the royal court. (206)
Chaupais
muni āgamana sunā jaba rājā. milana gayaū lai bipra samājā..
kari daṃḍavata munihi sanamānī. nija āsana baiṭhārēnhi ānī.. [1-206-1]
carana pakhāri kīnhi ati pūjā. mō sama āju dhanya nahiṃ dūjā..
bibidha bhāomti bhōjana karavāvā. munivara hṛdayaom haraṣa ati pāvā.. [1-206-2]
puni caranani mēlē suta cārī. rāma dēkhi muni dēha bisārī..
bhaē magana dēkhata mukha sōbhā. janu cakōra pūrana sasi lōbhā.. [1-206-3]
taba mana haraṣi bacana kaha rāū. muni asa kṛpā na kīnhihu kāū..
kēhi kārana āgamana tumhārā. kahahu sō karata na lāvau bārā.. [1-206-4]
asura samūha satāvahiṃ mōhī. mai jācana āyau nṛpa tōhī..
anuja samēta dēhu raghunāthā. nisicara badha maiṃ hōba sanāthā.. [1-206-5]
When the king heard of the sage’s visit he went out to meet him with a party of Brāhmaṇas. Prostrating himself on the ground the king reverently brought him in and seated him on his own throne. Then, washing the sage’s feet, he paid him great honours and said, “No one else is so blessed as I am today.” The king next entertained him with various kinds of food and the great sage was much delighted at heart. He then placed his four sons on the latter’s feet. At the sight of Śrī Rāma the sage forgot all about himself. He was enraptured as he gazed on the beauty of Śrī Rāma’s countenance even as the Cakora bird is enamoured of the full moon. Gladdened at heart, the king then addressed the following words to him, “Reverend sir, you have never shown such grace to me before. Tell me what brings you here; I will carry out your order without delay.” “Hosts of demons molest me, O king; I have therefore come to ask something of you. Let me have the Lord of Raghus, Śrī Rāma, with His younger brother (Lakṣmaṇa); with the extermination of the demons I will feel secure.”
Dohas
dēhu bhūpa mana haraṣita tajahu mōha agyāna.
dharma sujasa prabhu tumha kauṃ inha kahaom ati kalyāna..207.. [1-207]
Entrust them to me, O king, with a cheerful heart; let no infatuation or ignorance stand in your way. You will earn religious merit and fair renown thereby, and your sons will be highly blessed.”
Chaupais
suni rājā ati apriya bānī. hṛdaya kaṃpa mukha duti kumulānī..
cauthēṃpana pāyau suta cārī. bipra bacana nahiṃ kahēhu bicārī.. [1-207-1]
māgahu bhūmi dhēnu dhana kōsā. sarbasa dēu āju saharōsā..
dēha prāna tēṃ priya kachu nāhī. sōu muni dēu nimiṣa ēka māhī.. [1-207-2]
saba suta priya mōhi prāna ki nāīṃ. rāma dēta nahiṃ banai gōsāī..
kahaom nisicara ati ghōra kaṭhōrā. kahaom suṃdara suta parama kisōrā.. [1-207-3]
suni nṛpa girā prēma rasa sānī. hṛdayaom haraṣa mānā muni gyānī..
taba basiṣṭa bahu nidhi samujhāvā. nṛpa saṃdēha nāsa kahaom pāvā.. [1-207-4]
ati ādara dōu tanaya bōlāē. hṛdayaom lāi bahu bhāomti sikhāē..
mērē prāna nātha suta dōū. tumha muni pitā āna nahiṃ kōū.. [1-207-5]
Hearing this most unwelcome demand the king’s heart quivered and the brightness of his countenance faded. He said, “I have been blessed with these four sons in my old age. You have, therefore, made your demand without due consideration, holy sir. Ask of me land, cattle, goods and treasure; I will gladly give all I have without delay. Nothing is dearer than one’s body and life; even these I would part within a second. All my sons are dear to me as life; but in no case can I afford to spare Rāma, my lord. My lovely boys, who are yet too young, are no match for the most hideous and relentless demons.” The enlightened hermit Viśvāmitra felt delighted at heart to hear the king’s reply, steeped as it was in the nectar of love. Then Vasiṣṭha pleaded with the king in manifold ways and all his doubts were gone. Most politely he sent for the two boys and pressing them to his bosom admonished them in many ways. Turning to the sage he then said, “My lord, the two boys are my very life. You are their only father now, holy sir; there is no one to look after them.”
Dohas
sauṃpē bhūpa riṣihi suta bahu bidhi dēi asīsa.
jananī bhavana gaē prabhu calē nāi pada sīsa..208ka.. [1-208(A)]
puruṣasiṃha dōu bīra haraṣi calē muni bhaya harana..
kṛpāsiṃdhu matidhīra akhila bisva kārana karana..208kha.. [1-208(A)-208(B)]
Invoking various blessings on the boys the king committed them to the care of the sage; then they called at the mother’s apartment and bowing their head at her feet departed. The two heroes, lions among men, oceans of compassion, resolute of purpose and the ultimate cause of the whole universe, gladly proceeded to rid the sage of his fear.
Chaupais
aruna nayana ura bāhu bisālā. nīla jalaja tanu syāma tamālā..
kaṭi paṭa pīta kasēṃ bara bhāthā. rucira cāpa sāyaka duhu hāthā.. [1-208(A)-1]
syāma gaura suṃdara dōu bhāī. bisbāmitra mahānidhi pāī..
prabhu brahmanyadēva mai jānā. mōhi niti pitā tajēhu bhagavānā.. [1-208(A)-2]
calē jāta muni dīnhi dikhāī. suni tāḍakā krōdha kari dhāī..
ēkahiṃ bāna prāna hari līnhā. dīna jāni tēhi nija pada dīnhā.. [1-208(A)-3]
taba riṣi nija nāthahi jiyaom cīnhī. bidyānidhi kahu bidyā dīnhī..
jātē lāga na chudhā pipāsā. atulita bala tanu tēja prakāsā.. [1-208(A)-4]
The Lord had reddish eyes, a broad chest and long arms; His body was dark as the blue lotus or the Tamāla tree. With a beautiful quiver fastened at His back with a yellow piece of cloth wrapped round His waist, He held in His two hands a lovely bow and arrow respectively. In the two pretty boys, one of whom was dark and the other fair, Viśvāmitra secured a great treasure. “I have now realized,” said he to himself, “that the Lord is a votary of the Brāhmaṇas; on my account He has left His own father.” While on the way the sage pointed out the demoness Tāḍakā, who on hearing their voice rushed up in a fury. With a single shaft the Lord took her life and recognizing her as deserving of compassion bestowed His own state on her. Then the seer Viśvāmitra, while recognizing his lord as the fountain of knowledge, imparted to Him a sacred formula which armed Him against hunger and thirst and endowed Him with unequalled strength of body and a glow of vigour.